Headlight suspension



J. R. TOWNSEND. HEADLIGHT SUSPENSION.

APPLICAHON FILED DEC. 26, 1919.

Patented Nov. M, 1922.

INvENToR: JOHN ROBERT TOWNSEND,

Patented Nov. 14, i922.

warren eras JOHN ROBERT TOWNSEND, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

HEADLIGHT SUSPENSION.

Application filed December 26, 1919. Serial No.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN ROBERT TOWN- SEND, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State' of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Headlight Suspensions, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to spring suspension for head lights, more particularly those intended for locomotives and other track vehicles. The general object of the invention is to provide a suspension which will absorb the ordinary shocks and jars incident to running thereby increasing the life of the filament of the lamp used for lighting. Head lights of vehicles have been previously suspended upon springs, but the suspending means have had objectional characteristics which it is my purpose to avoid. Among other things, it is my object to prevent whipping-that is, a continued swinging movement in any direction. Another object is to provide a construction by which the same elements may be used both to hold the headlight and also to adjust it angularly whereby the beam of light may be thrown in the proper direction.

I accomplish my objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is a side elevation of the device showing the same partly in section to reveal the lamp, reflector, and associated parts. In this figure, the parts are shown in the position which they tend to occupy before the application of the anchoring and adjusting springs, as will be hereinafter explained.

Figure 2 is'a side elevation partly in section of the complete device as it appears when in use.

Figure 3 is similar to Figure 2 but illustrates the manner by which the angle of inclination may be varied.

Figure 4 is a front elevatlon of the complete device, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail showing the preferred manner of anchoring the supplemental, adjusting springs.

Like numerals denote like parts thruout the several views. J

In the form selected to illustrate the invention the light is furnished by a lamp 1, preferably an electric bulb screwing into a socket 2 mounted inside of and near the back of the housing 3. A reflector 5, usually of the parabolic type, is mounted within the housing and the front of the housing is closed by a sheet 6 of lass.

The chief support 0 of springs 8, the inner ends of which are fastened to ears 9 formed on the outside housing. The outer ends are secured to cars or flanges 10 formed on the supporting frame 12. the main suspension springs 8 are four in number and radiate from the housing. They are spaced equidistantly and are anchored to the supportmg frame at points all lying III the same so, and consequently tend to lie in a plane, as shown in Figure 1. This tendency is overcome, however, by supplemental springs 14 shown in Figures2 and 3. The

vertical inner end of these supplemental springs is 76 fastened to ears 15 formed at the top and bottom of the housing near the rear end thereof. The springs lie in a vertical plane but are obliquely inclined-that is, they extend backward as well as upward or downward. The result is that the springs conform to two cones pointing toward each other. Their outer ends are threaded and pass thru apertures in the frame. These ends are adjust-ably anchored to the frame by adjusting nuts 16.

It is desirable, also, in some cases to pro= vide another set of supplemental springs 18 having their inner ends secured to ears 19 formed at the sides of back. These springs lie in a horizontal plane and extend laterally backward and at the same time obliquely outward. They, also, conform to one of the cones previously mentioned. Their outer ends are threaded 98 to receive adjusting nuts 20 similar in function and purpose to the nuts 16.

The frame is supported in any suitable manner. In the resent case a base or edestal 22 is provided as illustrated in ures 1 to 3.

Operation: The springs 8 tend to assume a position in a vertical plane, as shown in Figure 1. As they are equally distributed, being in the presentcase arranged they yieldingly support the housing against all movement in a vertical plane. But the springs are preferably comparatively light to enable the lamp and its filament to ride easier, and on account of their all being in the same plane,

naturally tend to permit the housing to whip the housing consists at In the preferred construction 65 vertical plane, or approximately as the housing near the ac igme apart, 05,

back and forth horizontally,

and also to permit the beam of light to vibrate laterally and vertically. The supplemental springs 14, however, draw the main suspension springs 8 out of their natural plane with their inner ends drawn toward the back of the frame. The result is that springs 14 effectually prevent whipping without reducing the cushioning effect of the main suspension springs. They also prevent vibration of the beam of light, for the rear end of the housing is yieldingly anchored. By adjusting the nuts 16 the proper degree of tension may be readily obtained. Furthermore, by adjusting the upper spring to a greater tension than the lower one, the light beam may be tilted downward and vice versa. In other words, the supplemental springs in the vertical plane may be used to adjust the beam of light in a vertical plane, Figure 3 showing the effect of such adjustment when the upper spring is subjected to the greater tension. The lateral supplemental springs 18 which lie in a horizontal plane are capab e of functioning upon the same principle as the springs 14, except that they providfi for lateral adjustment of, the beam of lig t.

It will be understood, of course, that one pair of supplemental springs as, for example, the air 14 are in many cases suflicient to gain t e desired result. They retract the inner end of the main suspension springs and are quite effective to prevent whipping. Being attached near the rear end of the housing they also operate effectively to prevent both vertical and lateral swinging of the beam of light. Under some conditions, however, it is advisable to employ the horizontal pair of supplemental springs in which case the lateral component of the angular vibration of the beam is still more efi'ectually damped. 1

It may be properly said that in my device the main suspension springs, in addition to their mere suspending characteristics, constitute fulcrums or pivotal points about which the axis of the device may be angularly adjusted by the supplemental springs. The supplemental springs also lie at an angle to the natural plane of the suspension springs, which serves to increase their tension and to prevent the whipping or vibratory movement of the housing in a horizontal direction.

As reviously stated, it will be observed that t e springs when thus fastened and adjusted arrange themselves in conformity with two cones pointing'towards each other and having their axes in line with each other.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A lamp suspension having a holder for the lamp, and a reflector for casting a beam of light, and two sets of helical tension springs all lying in planes radiating from the axis of the reflector, one set of springs being arranged in conformity with a cone pointing backward, and the other set with a cone pointing forward, said cones being substantially coaxial with the axis of the reflector, and means for supporting the outer ends of said springs, one set of springs being adjustable for tension, whereby the direction of the beam may be regulated.

2. In a device of the class described, a lamp holder havingv an approximately parabolic reflector, a frame, springs attached to the holder near the front and extending outward in different directions to the frame and being attached to the frame at points lying in a common plane, and supplemental springs attached to the frame and to the holder back of the first mentioned springs, said supple mental springs being adjustable for adjusting the angle of inclination of the axis of the reflector and all of said springs conforming to one or the other of two cones pointing toward and in line with each other, and in line, approximately with the axisof the refiector.

3. In a device of the class described, a lamp holder having an approximately parabolic reflector,'a frame, springs attached to the holder near the front and extending outward in different directions to the frame and being attached to the frame at points lying in'a common plane, and supplemental springs attached to the frame and to the holder back of the first mentioned springs, said su plemental springs being adjustable for a 'usting the angle of inclination of the axis of'the reflector, and the supplemental springs being inclined relatively to the axis of the reflector for drawing the inner end of the first mentioned springs backward from said plane, all of said springs conforming to one or the other of two cones pointing toward and in line with each other and in line, approximately with the axis of the reflector.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOHN ROBERT TOWNSEND, 

